Buying and Editing!!! And sometimes writing?

So it's been too long since I last blogged. Again. *hangs head* However, I have good reason (even thought that's really no excuse -- there is a difference). I have been buying and editing books for Crescent Moon Press left and right, up and down, and even catty corner!! LOL

I thought this would be a good chance to give some pointers on what I do and don't want to see in submissions. I want you to be excited about your book. It comes across in the query, believe me. Have confidence in yourself and your writing. This is most important, because if you don't love it -- no one else will.

Second and almost equally important --- REVIEW that manuscript and have OTHERS look it over so that when it's time to be sent, you are presenting the most polished and attractive version of your book. It is also vital that you pay attention to your first pages, first paragraph, and first line. You may have the greatest story ever, but if you have no hook or do not draw your readers in at the beginning, they won't give you a chance to tell the story at all. For example, DO NOT start your story in a dream or waking up from sleep. YAWN! Give me a great first line that tells what your character's most pressing dilemma is at the moment (and I don't mean breakfast!) If you are able to convey a sense of urgency and create an immediate connection with your character, you've already won half the battle. Now, that being said, do not give me an awesome first line that has nothing to do with the book! (It happens..bad form!)

Third, be ready to succeed. If you get a request for a partial or a full after submitting a query -- send that material in ASAP. If for some reason you can't, respond and let me know. But sooner is always better. :) If you get an offer, respond immediately. (Even if you need time to mull it over -- respond and let us know you've received the offer, and ask when the offer expires so that you don't miss your first deadline. :)

Finally, (well, finally for today -- I could go on and on and on....) if you are not sure your book fits, submit it anyway. (Unless you write something that we say we absolutely do not take.) If you still aren't sure, ask!

I actually started this post at the beginning of September....tsk, tsk, tsk. Time is not my friend lately. I want to get all the wonderful books I've acquired out into the market so that you all can enjoy them! So I will get back to editing and hope to see something exciting from you!

May the muse inspire you to succeed and may you listen to her!

Slainte`

Happily Ever After...Revisited

So some more great news...I know, can you stand it? My daughter, Melinda, has started doing book reviews.(Yes, my family LOVES all things book related!) She reviews for a couple of sites (The Romance Reviews and Coffee and Romance). She's also started her own blog and has posted a couple of reviews, including one for Soul Reborn by Jean Murray, a Crescent Moon Press publication! Check it out, she gives Jean and the first book in Murray's series revolving around ancient Egyptian mythology, a great and well-deserved review! Five slippers! (She reviews by glass slippers...too cute!) So add her blog to your list and and follow the other sites listed above to check out some of her other reviews.

Great job Mel!

For the rest of us...may the muse bless us with great inspiration so that we write many books for her to review!

Slainte`

Nalini Singh!

Okay so a lot of writers start out as readers aka fans of other authors. I am not ashamed to say I have some HUGE admiration for many authors and love their books dearly even though I rarely read "for leisure" these days. I use "leisure" instead of "pleasure" because I am pleased with what I read. Well most of the time...there are some submissions that well...are better off not seeing the light of day, even in summary. But I do love doing what I do so I am reading for pleasure when I'm reading submissions or reading over drafts that I'm editing.

But as a fan, I have also turned my daughters (rest assured they are of appropriate age) into fans of many of my favorite authors as well. This is an amazing interest that we all share and Tuesdays are often very exciting around our house. Well, May 31st was particularly exciting as the long awaited story of Hawke and Sienna in Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling Series was due to release. (See fantastic review of KOS here.) As I said, me and daughters = BIG FANs. We'd also learned in the last couple years that my niece shared our interest in these books as well.  So as my Morgan's bday was approaching and Nalini was going to be a mere 3 1/2 hours away (she lives in New Zealand and we live in California, so that's as close as we were going to get for some time!), we decided to trek to Roseville and attend her book signing. (I know, I am an awesome mom...or so I was told many times that day.) ;)

We had a scrumptious dinner at Joe's Crab Shack in Sacto on the way!







Then we headed into Roseville for the actual signing and met the very gracious and awesome Nalini Singh. She took quite a bit of time with us as all four of us went up at once and had books signed. (Liz Altenburg, one of MY authors that I've signed at CMP - her book The Summerland is due out in October, also met up w/us and took the pictures below. Thanks Liz!!!)

The Whole Dragon Flerd and Miss Nalini Singh!

So after some battle with Mel's metal beastie, (we could've taken my car, but no they wanted to take hers...does anyone listen to mom??), we made it back home. Thank you to the Samaritans in Sacto as well as Liz for coming to our rescue!

And one more final pic of the Dragon Flerd (inside joke...just go with it.) ;)

So, to my authors...keep writing and one day, you too may enjoy having a mom and her crazy daughters/niece-daughter travel 3 plus hours to come have your book signed. To all of you other writers, as well as myself...may the muse find you and you enjoy similar success as well!

Slainte`!

CMP News!!!

Have some news from my publisher about our paranormal submissions:

Due to the tremendous success CMP has enjoyed in the paranormal genre, we are now opening to submissions of all paranormal categories including suspense,thriller, mystery, and gothica. If your story has any type of paranormal element, CMP may be interested in acquiring your novel. See the submissions page for guidelines.


CMP Submissions Page


Go forth and submit!!

Good Grief!

It's been how long since I posted??? Yikes! I was doing so well...but then I went to RT and got semi-caught up, and then I went to Salem for the NEC, got back and got semi-caught up. Had the Relay for Life, got sick, didn't get caught up. Had fundraising softball tourney for Mitochondrial Disease in honor of my niece Brittany Wilkinson, got even sicker. Am now well, but still catching up!!

RT RECAP:
Okay, lots of great stuff going on! Really great stuff! RT was a huge blast as well as an amazing venue to meet up with all sorts of resources for both sides of my writing. So my editing and writing hats were very happy. :) I met some peeps in person that I'd only known online for some time, like the lovely and talented Melissa Mayhue! Was standing right next to her and turned around and there she was! We'd known each other through a small online group we both belonged to, but with 1200 people at RT, what are the odds? We totally rocked the CMP Spotlight, BUT not many attended due to a pitch workshop at the same time and it being one of the very first events...live and learn. But met the fabulous Lori Perkins of both the L. Perkins Agency (Literary Agents) and Ravenous Publishing. Amazing person! RT Club was fabulous and we had a gorgeous basket filled with goodies that was raffled off to a very crowded room on Friday...had tons of entries to pick from!

We also unveiled the first issue and volumes of the Crescent Moon Press, a newspaper showcasing our authors and their books in a unique format that they've collaboratively written. Each author has submitted an article (or two or three - you know authors!) in breaking news format, help wanted, obituaries or Dear Destroyer (similar to Dear Abby). We compiled them into a beautifully aged news press which was handed out at RT and then subsequently at NEC. Thanks to Sally O'Brien for all her hard work in getting out this beautiful publication!!! (As well as all her help at the RT - thanks Feef!)

Then I had the opportunity of a lifetime to have three lovely ladies accompany me (my two daughters and niece - whom I cherish dearly). They entertained themselves by day and at night when the RT Balls (Faerie, Vampire, Hollywood ) we hit the dance floor AND stayed! - We didn't know about the Balliwood or we'd have been there too!  Met  up with the awesome CMP Author Christine Ashworth and the amazing multi-published Syrie James at the Faerie Ball. Check out some of the fun pics below!

I could go on and on, but this post would be a million pages long! So suffice it to say we had a fabulous time, Crescent Moon Press was represented as the awesome growing powerhouse press that is, and I was exhausted but elated when I got home. Thank you to my Raging Dragon Flerd for traveling with me and making it a spectacular trip!! I love you ALL!

NEC RECAP:
By the time I had recovered and caught up, it was time to board a plane for Massachusetts! Yes, since I'm from California, that's quite a flight! But I got to spend time with my absolutely incredible bosses. Not many people would enjoy spending a whole weekend with their superiors, but I loved it. These are spectacular ladies with a vision for CMP and its authors that is truly phenomenal. Steph Murray and Marlene Castricato are sisters of the heart and truly have a passion for what they are doing. I was honored to spend time with them and enjoyed it immensely. We also met up with some of our CMP authors Michelle Picard, Catherine Collins, and Liz Altenburg at the conference. Most definitely worth the trip!

NEWS!

So...my first publication is due out soon! Yes, I am officially published! It's only a poem, but I can still say I am published! :) Thematic Magazine is a literary magazine dedicated to helping writing professionals become published. In that vein, the only content is poems and short stories. July's theme is freedom and I submitted a poem about freedom from the worry of the extreme medical issues surrounding my family the last few years and the angst/conflict of being torn between taking care of the sick one and being needed at home. Look for it in their July issue! It's aptly titled, "Fear and Freedom". :D

Also working on a new trilogy that I know will be published when it's finally written. That's right, I KNOW it will be published. :) Stay tuned!

Told ya I had lots of great news! :)

May the muse bless you!

Slainte`